What levels are there?
There are various levels of apprenticeship. It all depends on the candidate’s skills and qualifications. They are:
- Intermediate apprenticeship (level 2)
- Advanced apprenticeship (level 3)
- Higher apprenticeship (levels 4-7)
- Degree apprenticeship (levels 6-7)
What financial support is offered to employers?
There is a large amount of support available from government that reduces the cost of taking on an apprentice significantly.
If your business has a wage bill of less than 3million, you will have to contribute just 10% towards the cost of training and if your apprentice is under the age of 19 and you have less than 50 employees there will be no cost for training at all.
Alternatively, if your business has a wage bill of more than 3million, you will now be required through the Apprenticeship Levy to pay 0.5% of your payroll (minus a £15,000 allowance) into your apprenticeship service account, from which you can then draw, after a 10% top-up from the government, for apprenticeship training.
In addition, if you hire an apprentice under the age of 25 you may also be able to claim back your National Insurance Contributions for them.
If you are a SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises or businesses) of less than 50 employees you may also be eligible for the AGE (Apprenticeship Grant for Employers) grant of £1,500. Read the government's AGE employers fact sheet [PDF] for more information.
Why take on an apprentice?
Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to develop business-specific skills, find and mould new talent or upskill existing staff.
In addition, taking on an apprentice can also help your business to:
- Improve productivity and performance
- Improve team morale by showcasing your commitment to career development
- Reduce wage bill costs
- Reduce skills-gaps
- Tailor skills sets
- Enhance your reputation
